San Jose Recap

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I made a quick, yet pleasant, trip to San Jose to help facilitate the Executive Council’s Value-based Sustainability Summit for which I served as consulting editorial director. Admittedly a bit biased, I found it to be an interesting day with speakers from Coca-Cola (going net carbon neutral at the upcoming Olympic games in Vancouver), UPS (reverting to bikes and carts on some routes to save energy), Autodesk (helping catalyze big strides in energy efficient building design), 1E (helping companies cut IT energy usage by 15 – 40%), and many others. The key take-aways: there is still “low hanging fruit” for  many companies looking to either spur growth or save money through sustainability; one of the next big thrusts will be around metrics and analytics as companies look to understand what it matters most to measure; and the companies getting the greatest impact from their efforts are taking a broad view: engaging with NGOs, building industry alliances, and otherwise investing in the larger conversations and initiatives around sustainability.

I stayed at the Fairmont as that was where the event was held (with a 7 a.m. call time, I wasn’t going to look farther afield). It was, well, the Fairmont: lovely if not inspiring. The room and bathroom were both spacious and featured all of the amenities that you’d expect. The service was  friendly and courteous throughout my stay. Internet service was a bit spotty as they were having issues with the system (though I was happy that it came free of charge as I am a President’s Club member — that alone makes it worthwhile to join this frequent guest program). I was in the tower building which made each walk to the lobby rather a long one. As chains go, I find Fairmont a step above the Hiltons and Westins of the world yet generally priced well below the Ritz and Four Seasons and this is a well cared for property. It’s old-school, not hip but they know what they do and they do it well. My biggest complaint is that the two options for printing one’s boarding pass — a lobby kiosk and the business center — both come with a charge. It felt like nickel-and-diming. I simply checked in online from my room and waited until the airport to print my documents.

Alas I have no great scoops on dining either. One dinner was at the hotel (a function related to the event) and the filet-and-lobster offering was quite tasty (have your cardiologist on speed dial). The other, an early informal dinner with a colleague took us to Gordon-Birsch: decent steak frites and other bistro pub fare but nothing remarkable.

So did I come home empty-handed from this trip? Of course not. The big scoop is the nearby wineries. I visited two: Windy Oaks and Jason Stephens.  Windy Oaks co-owner Judy Schultze was kind enough to open the winery for my visit. The drive took about 45 minutes and brought me up winding mountain roads through lush redwood forests. The winery is in the perfect setting for pinot noir — cool and moist with a long growing season — though they also cultivate about an acre of chardonnay. All of their wines are made from the grapes produced on the estate in the Burgundian tradition. I left with bottle of two wonderful pinots: Henry’s Block (made from a single clone, 1 acre vineyard block) and Whole Cluster (which, as the name implies, are whole cluster fermentations). The wines were rich, complex, and well-structured without being heavy. In other words, they showed off the quality of the grapes and the skill of the winemaker. Truly exceptional.

Heading back to San Jose I had a number of wineries from which to choose but time for just one (and I did need to arrive at the event function “business ready” and not showing too much evidence from my afternoon’s activities). Would it be Clos La Chance — the “best tasting room in Silicon Valley” and recommended by colleagues? Perhaps Kirigin Cellars? There were two or three others but I chose Jason-Stephens simply because I liked their logo and I’m glad that I stopped in. While wine has been grown here for some time, they have only been making and selling their own wine for under two years. The tasting room is still under construction (and a bit chilly) but Angela, responsible for the tastings that day, was a charming and knowledgeable guide to the five wines currently on offer (two cabs, a syrah, a merlot, and a chardonnay). While all were rewarding, I left with the chardonnay and the syrah. The chard was crisp and smooth, only lightly oaked in the French style. I bought it as something to  look forward to when spring finally arrives back in the northeast. The syrah, a double gold medal winner, was silky and elegant; full of flavor without being heavy-handed in the delivery. I’ve already consumed that bottle and can’t wait to have an excuse to go back for more.

The flights both ways on United left on time and arrived early (hooray!). I appreciate the reasonably priced upgrades to Economy Plus that are offered as it is the only way that I can be comfortable enough to work in coach. Everything on United is a la carte these days: upgrades, priority security/boarding, Red Carpet Club, etc. so you really can tailor your ticket.

And there you have it. I always find San Jose a bit less interesting than I think it should be — sort of a giant corporate campus rather than a bustling city. But now that I am more familiar with the wineries less than an hour away, I know I’ll always have something interesting to do.

What have your experiences been in San Jose? Any insider tips to share?